Bad habits can cause co-workers to leave

Picture yourself at work. Do you talk to yourself, whine incessantly, crack your knuckles, slam the phone? If so, you might be a loathsome office mate, and plenty of us have them, according to a recent online survey of annoying work habits.

More than half the 2,200 employees, 54 percent, said they’re guilty of at least one annoying work habit. Nearly a fifth, 18 percent, said they often talked to themselves and 13 percent admitted bellowing over cubicle partitions instead of using a phone or e-mail.

These behaviors have consequences. Nearly 60 percent of employees report that a colleague’s annoying work habits have hurt relationships at work and have caused some productivity loss. What’s more, an astounding 40 percent said the habits were so unbearable that they were hunting for a new job.

The survey was conducted in July by TrueCareers, an online job site associated with Sallie Mae, a major educational loan provider.